See an election ballot before Saturday
November 18, 2015
ID issues no bar to voting
November 21, 2015
Bull riders will avoid bovine perils at Harang Auditorium in Thibodaux on Saturday to push the crowd watching to prevent a different kind of danger.
Championship Bull Riding and Thibodaux Regional Medical’s Cancer Center hosts the rodeo, which promotes cancer awareness and early detection. This year’s event marks the fifth year the Cancer Center has worked with CBR.
James Pierce was a bull rider for 25 years and still works with CBR. He helped organize Saturday’s event. Pierce is well versed in what the center in Thibodaux can provide for cancer patients.
“I’m living proof, because just last year … I’m a cancer survivor. This place, the cancer center, saved my life,” Pierce said.
Pierce, a Thibodaux native, discovered his ailment by accident last year. While he was getting a hip injury examined, doctors noticed something was wrong with his kidney. Pierce went straight to the cancer center to get treatment, and couldn’t be more thankful.
“What was great about it was everything was done here, everything I needed involved for cancer was taken care of here,” he said.
Pierce was at the center for over a week, and had two surgeries. Doctors were able to save half of his kidney. Pierce faced his situation head on, something his life had already prepared him for.
“It’s kind of what I did for a living for 25 years. You face danger every year. And every time I went up to fight a bull, it was the same scenario,” the Thibodaux bull rider said.
Success stories like Pierce’s are why Thibodaux Regional’s center celebrated recognition for its work on Friday. The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer re-accredited the center’s program with a Gold Level Commendation. The commission also awarded the center with an Outstanding Achievement Award for the fourth consecutive three-year period.
Monica Allen, director of the cancer center, said the center winning the award again speaks to the care people in her department provide.
“It is a very proud moment, it speaks to the quality of care we provide. You’ve got to have a multi-disciplinary approach that requires a lot of teamwork. So, it stands for quality, and quality care close to home is what we’re all about,” she said.
Allen said her department is always striving to keep up with the standards that the ACS puts out every year.
“We’re always looking to improve our quality. There are a lot of techniques, we get a lot of people to the table to discuss progress, cancer patients, we look at our outcomes. So it’s a big team approach to providing the best care,” Allen said.
Greg Stock, CEO of Thibodaux Regional, said the rodeo will be considered a success if it results in more early screenings.
“We know that awareness is a big factor in how long people live, and whether or not they live,” he said. “So the sooner something is diagnosed the better. We kind of all know this, but we don’t all do this. So by putting these things out and bringing it to the forefront, we hope to get people to act.”
Allen said working in a cancer center brings clear challenges, but the work done for and with patients makes it all worth it.
“It’s a challenging and dynamic environment. But it is a very rewarding environment. People with cancer have the most positive outlook on life,” Allen said. “It is very fulfilling. The people that you interact with, they’re educated, they’re focused, they care. They’re compassionate like no other.”
Pierce gets checked every three months now, and he said that he sees people he’d never thought would have cancer. According to him, spending time in the waiting room can form bonds that help both parties get through such a tough spot.
“You kind of form a camaraderie, if you’re sitting there for thirty minutes at most, even ten minutes. Everything’s uplifting. The more you beat it mentally, you beat it physically,” Pierce said.
The former bull rider said his goal for the rodeo is to draw a full house, so as many people as possible can learn the importance of early screenings.
“it really does matter that you do have a jump on cancer. Because if not, it’s going to get you,” Pierce said.
Thibodaux Regional Medical’s Cancer Center along with Championship Bull Riding performers. The rodeo Saturday at the Harang Auditorium in Thibodaux promotes cancer awareness and early detection.
